


Alternate Komarr

by The_Blue_Fenix



Category: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 10:58:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18030452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Blue_Fenix/pseuds/The_Blue_Fenix
Summary: It could have gone differently in a split second.





	Alternate Komarr

Serifosa Sector   
Waste Heat Management Experiment Station

Miles was torn for a moment between whacking his wrist-comm's screamer circuit or going for his stunner; but at Soudha's sudden movement toward his own vest Miles's combat reflexes took over, and his hand dove for his pocket. Vorsoisson half-turned, his mouth round with astonishment and the beginning of some warning cry. Miles would have thought *I've just been led into ambush by that idiot,* except that Vorsoisson was clearly much more surprised than he was.  
Soudha managed to get his stunner out and pointed a half second before Miles did. *Oh, shit, I never asked Dr. Chenko what a stunner blast would do to my seizure stimulator— *

Tien Vorsoisson dropped like a stone. While part of Miles’ brain dithered, his hand – maybe Naismith’s – was still moving. He dropped Soudha handily, center mass. Swiveled to hit Madame Radovas for good measure. Miles breathed. *Thought the big target was the dangerous one. Civilians. *  
Leaving Vorsoisson and the others where they lay, Miles ducked behind the lift pallet’s cargo – something huge, smooth-curved and glassy, excellent cover. He hit the screamer circuit on his wrist communicator. “Tuomonen.”   
Miles hesitated after the conversation ended. Then, weighing his single stunner against an unknown number of conspirators, he settled for sabotaging the huge vehicle airlock. That vast bell-horn-whatever on the industrial float pallet had to be evidence of something.  
He dodged back into the shadows at a faint click from the man-high door into the rest of the building. Stunner tag. His latest victim was a woman of medium height, half in and half out of the doorway; Miles dragged her all the way in. The door had no lock.   
He took a few seconds to identify the woman’s slack features with the accountant from Vorsoisson’s staff meeting. Lena Foscal, who had so helpfully brought an extra copy of her department’s report for Miles. *Bury me in bullshit, will you?* But now he need only wait somewhere safe until the ImpSec cavalry arrived. Here would be choice, if that door locked. Then Miles looked at the float pallet and grinned.  
There’d been seven vehicles outside the experiment station when Miles and Vorsoisson arrived, counting an industrial sized lift van that would hold the giant whatsis. The object, its float pallet grounded now, made an excellent doorstop. Miles listened cheerfully to noises of alarm from outside the personnel door, then a futile attempt at the airlock. He had no windows to survey the spectacle but someone took fright and ran, judging from the sound of aircar fans departing on emergency overload. Miles was content. He occupied his time searching his unconscious prisoners. Foscal had a data disc in her pocket which proved to be complete evidence of Vorsoisson’s part in at least the embezzlement scheme. No honor among thieves.   
The sound of more vehicular fans outside. Miles released the airlock and stepped outside in his breath mask, hands prudently raised. Two ImpSec aircars, three Serifosa Sector police vans, and an air ambulance settled into the parking lot all around him.   
Tuomonen leaped out of his vehicle first. “My Lord Auditor!”  
“I’m fine,” Miles said genially. “Three prisoners.” He hesitated. “Four. Madame Radovas among them. Fast penta for all, I think.”


End file.
